Dave Nelson

American baseball player (1944 2018)

David Earl Nelson (June 20, 1944 – April 22, 2018) was an American professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians, Washington Senators / Texas Rangers, and Kansas City Royals from 1968 through 1977. He also served as one of the broadcasters for the Milwaukee Brewers on Fox Sports Wisconsin. During a period in the early 2010 season, Nelson was the team's interim radio color commentator over the Brewers Radio Network during road games outside of Chicago while Bob Uecker recovered from heart surgery to repair an aortic valve. He was the team's first base coach for four years prior to the end of his contract. He helped to develop many players, including Kenny Lofton, Scott Podsednik and Rickie Weeks.

Nelson was born in Fort Sill, Oklahoma. At the end of that season, Nelson scored the last run ever for the Washington Senators at RFK stadium. Nelson moved with the franchise to Texas, where he continued to gain a reputation as a base stealing threat, stealing 51 bases in 1972. That year, he finished with a batting average of .286, with seven home runs and 48 RBIs. He played in his final major league game on September 27, 1977, then retired after the season. The following season, he returned to the majors as a coach for the Chicago White Sox, where he remained until 1984. He was also the Director of Milwaukee Brewers Alumni Relations.

On May 26, 2012 Nelson was inducted into the Compton Community College Athletics Hall of Fame, under the category of Baseball.